Reversirle rotary bolt lock



w. A: ENDTER EVERSIB ROTARY BOLT LOCK Now 7, 1944.

" FiledNpf. 27, 1943 s Shegts-Shget i lath/42451497129 4 l mmvron wunnun.

Nov 7, 1944. w. A. ENDTER 2,

- REVERSIBLE ROTARY BOLT Lpcx Filed Nov. 27, 1945' s Sheets-Sheet-2 mmyroze. Mwruae mwrtn Nov. 7, 1944.

1 W.-A. ENDTER REVERSIBLE R/OTARY BOLT LOCK Filed N ov. 27, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Mlnmwem rn INVENTOR. m 107% Q flPV'OPA/E) Patented Nov. 7,

with in Kits, oniz'. Amman-n nae-linen 21,1943, sum nae sum an" (or; zes -sen look. on

oi of: holta whereby made;

1-: canal-- host is Y ttnraisins" :innenandontes-nortinns the: of norfor:

mezzanine of the: bolt shape and the shape of shalt-engaged surface of My objects these are to accomplisnmore ambient oi operation 01; mechanism fillifiier travel along? the keeper;

midi greater? assurance heretofore-1 em... possihl; agaxmt" l; improper operation. or oi? cama actiom, dire to variatihns; in;

team; and ohieetsx of? the invention are sosomniished; he: more; understood:

d'esdriptihm certain' to; for on as. that may her en": "es have shone r the is fiininaIIir the heads; have m p this as others.- dege 5mg; and" ham 1 m a We. i m necessary to mine hoits for nit-hand and sigh mg r o andin eitherme been to the bolt m one end relationship in the mother words, holh otherwise of the same hate not been interchangeable in kit-hand and righthand locks, nor has the bolt been reversi'nie (in ability i'or reversal in any single mechanism.

'Briefly, this object is accomplished by giving the bolt features of symmetry permitting the cam mechanism and keeper to have the same action and efl'ect against either side surfaces of the bolt heads. This purpose is further served in bolts hav ing' angularly offset cam-enga in and keeperends, by offsetting one set of heads qui-angularly with respect to the other, all as "will later appear.

The invention contemplates further improvementsintheparflcularshapecharacteristics oi the side surfaces of and remove embodiments: ofij theninvention. Eefetemm is? iii.irong'fiutliz the; desorintiom to" theaoczompanyingzdrawihgsimwhichzr ellevational': lock: 658% rntmhoitand associatempartsg theboltheadsandintheoimilarlvspacedteeth THE; section on: 2-4; of" 1;; :sasectionv om line: 3-4 s of Fig; 21;

4 an emerged" end view" of the rotary 5" through 10* are; diagrammaticx views ii.- instmting relative nositi'ons of the Edit: and keeper the: complete ran-ate of Zntchihgrrotation of thehoit:

for-moi theinvention;

and

m. is is a cross-section on linen-1: of Fig. ll.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3, the mechanism may he described generally as comprising a rotary hoit it and bolt-actuating cam means I I, both supported by side I! of the case B, and a mechanism it for releasing the camming means and carried at the inside of portion [5 of the case. The rotary bolt I! may be regarded is having keeper-engaging end I at the outside of wall i2 0! the case, and a cam engaged end I! at the inside thereof, these end portions being separated by a' circular flange ll received within an openingll'in the case.' The bolt is rotatable on a pivot or pin II having its inner end supported at II in aplate 22 integral with the case IS. The outer end of the pin II terminates at 23 in the usual semi-housing or bracket 24.

As best illustrated in Fit. 4, each of the end portions "and H of the bolt is shaped to Provide a plurality of radially extending, equi-anor heads 25, four being certhiinreIil-tivEpositinnsaof thnt may'he;

Fig. i1 is an elevation showing a variational Fig. i2 is a section on line i'li2 of Fig. 11;-

keeper-engaging end is of the bolt. It will be observed that all the side surfaces of all the heads 2?; have the same shape, and that the opposite side surfaces of each head are symmetrical with relation to the radial center line e. g. line Ir-L') or" the head. As previously indicated, this feature is of importance in many respects, among which is the practical advantage of enabling a single bolt, thus shaped and designed, to be capable of installation and use ineither a left-hand or right-hand latch. Moreover, the position of the bolt may be reversed in either individual type of latch, Since by virtue of their symmetri al shape and angular positions, the heads of the end portions it and I? have the same relationship in reversed positions in the case. Thus'for all latch- 2,362,2kld

3i] supported at 38 and bearing against a shoulder to on the cam or step plate. While only one of the springs appears in Fig. 3, it will be understood that the support 38 carries three such springs, side by side and bearing against the cam and step plate shoulders 35.

Any suitable means may be employed for manually retracting the cams and step plate from operative engagement with the bolt end ll. Merely as illustrative, the mechanism generally indicated at it is shown to comprise a plate ill mounted for vertical reciprocal movement against stationary guides ll and i2, and having an arm 33 engageable with shoulders dd on each of the cams and step plate. The plate it normally is maintained in the raised position of Fig. 2 by a coil spring ltd bearing at 85 against its lower end. Plate m is shiftable downwardly against ing mechanisms employing the same size rotary bolt, it is only necessary to make one form of bolt which may be installed without regard to any particular end relationship to the rest of the mechanism.

With further reference to the particular shape characteristicsof the bolt, it will be observed that each side face of each of the heads.25 has an intermediate recess or inwardly curved portion adapted to receive a curved surface of the keeper,

Any suitable means engageable with the inner the resistance of spring Me to release the cams and step plate, by either the outside handle perated roll-back 55, or the usual inside retractable link ill. The roll-back Be comprises a rotor 53 having a square opening 39 and rotatable within openings to and 58 within the case flange l2 and aninside flange 52, see Fig. 3. Nose 53 on the rotor 28 is engageable with the upper turned end d of plate dd to shift the latter downwardly and swing the cam and step plate to end portion ll of the bolt may be employed to urge the bolt in a latching direction. As illustrative, such means is shown to comprise a usual arrangement of one or more cams 2e and 38 pivotally supported on a shaft-3i, the inner end of which terminates at 32 within plate 22, as shown in. Fig. 2. The outer end of the shaft terminates at 33 within the usual type of keeper-engaging lug 3 3 formed integrally with the case flange i2. Cams 29 and 36 have the usual length relationship, one being longer than the other, so as to successively engage and rotate the bolt in a latching direction throughout apredetermined range of movement. If desired, I'may also pro: vide' for operation in conjunction with the cams, a holding element also pivotally movable on the shaft 3!, in the form of a plate having stepped surfaces 36, see Fig. 3, engageable with the camengaged surface of the bolt to positively hold the latter against reverse rotation at different posi.- tions within the range of bolt rotation by the cams. The structure and operation of this type of bolt holding mechanism, are more fully dealt with in my co-pending application ser. No.

497,594 filed August 6, 1943, on Look mechanism. Each of the cams 29 and 30, and also the step plate 35, is urged 'in the direction of latching rotation of the bolt by the usual individual springs bolt releasing positions. Link ill is pivotally connected at 55 to a lever 55 pivoted 0n pin 5i and having a nose 58 engageable with shoulder 59 on the plate dd, so that movement toward the right of link ll causes the nose 58 to shift plate id downwardly to a cam and step plate releasing position. Pivot 5i extends through a slot iii] of sumcient length to permit shifting of the plate within the required limits of its travel.

The outer end portion it of the bolt is engageable with a keeper Bl Which,as illustrated in Figs. 1, 5 and 8, is entered between the bolt and lug 3% so as to engage and advance relatively along the latter, first under manually applied doorclosing force, and then under the influence oi cams 2e and 3d. The keeper ti may have a flat upper surface 62 engageable with the under-face d3 of lug 36, an inclined bolt engaging surface dd, and a curved corner surface 55 receivable within the recess 28 of a bolt head, as will now appear.

Figs. 5 through 10 illustrate diagrammatically relative sequential positions of the keeper and bolt throughout the range of a complete latching.

operation starting with initial inter-engagement of the bolt and keeper in Fig. 5,'and ending with rotation of the bolt to the home or fully latched position of Fig. 10. As will be understood, the keeper may be stationarily mounted on the usual door pillar and the bolt and associated lu carried by the door, or this relationship may be re= versed. Accordingly, the described movements of the bolt and keeper are to be regarded as rela= tive. The views of Figs. 6, 7, 9 and 10 are on a somewhat enlarged scale.

Upon movement of the bolt against the keeper beyond the position of Fig. 5, the curved corner surface 65 of the keeper is received within the recessed face 28 of the engaging bolt surface, as illustrated in Fig. 6. Continued rotation oi the bolt brings the leading head 25 into engagement with the keeper surface 6| at a position reached upon just slight rotation of the bolt beyond the position of Fig. .7. For most efiicient action, the operation of the cam mechanism is timed with relation tothe bolt rotation, so that the cams 29 and 30 trip from their positions of head 2% to positions of dogging or csmming engagement with the trailing surface 2%, at sub-' stantially the described bolt and keeper positions of Fig. 8. In this view, the cams are shown to be at the trip position, i. e. immediately upon movement of the shorter cam into camming engagement with the bolt surface 2611. As the bolt thereafter is urged in an advancing direction by the cams, the bolt and keeper assume progressively thesuccessivepositionsof Figs. 8, 9 and l0, at the last or which themechanism is fully latched. i i

From the foregoing it will be understood that Ior most eflicient action, the cam means should be causedto exert an advancing thrust against the bolt starting at substantially the point at which the leading bolt head first engages the inclined keeper surface ed, as in Fig. 8, and that the range of the cam operation should be willcient to carrythrough to the home position of Fig. 10. The described bolt and keeper shapes are of importance in assuring this action to a greater extent than is possible by the use or rotary bolts having conventional shapes. Instead of curving inwardly as at 2d, the corresponding surface of the'usual bolt head has an outward curvature, or at least no appreciable degree of inward curvature. Now it happens that in practical installations of these locks, the relative ver-' tical positions (as viewed in Figs. through 10) of the bolt and keeper may be subject to variation from a single predetermined position on the basis of which the bolt action is designed. Such variation may result, for example, from upward bending of the lug 34L permitting corresponding upward displacement of the keeper relative to the bolt. Ordinarily, the efiect would be to throw the cam action out of proper timing, as by the cams becoming tripped before the leading bolt head reaches a position of engagement with the inclined keeper surface 64, as in Fig. 8, and to cause the duration of the cam action thereafter "-to be insumcient to carry through to the home position in Fig. 10.

This normally encountered condition is obvi-.

ated by the invention by reason of the fact that the accommodation given the corner portion 655 ,of the keeper within the bolt recess 28, permits substantial variation in the relative vertical positions of the keeper and bolt, without in any way seriously affecting the proper timing of the cam action. In this connection it is to be noted that at the tripping position of Fig. 8, there is sumcient vertical overlap between the keeper comer -ture in a latching mechanism wherein the cam means and keeper engage the same portion of the bolt, as distinguished from opposite end portions thereof. Here the latch assembly comprises a case t'l having a flange t'la at the inside of which the normal positions of Fig. 12 is resisted-by in-' and 83 mountedon a 15. The bolt is engageable with a keeper it on plate 11 which also carries a lug 18 between which and. the keeper 75, the housing and bolt assembly maybecome confined or wedged to prevent rela tive vertical displacement of the locked parts.

Rotation of the bolt in engaging and entering the keeper is yieldably resisted and thenaided by a plurality of'pivoted cams it and lit, two being shown as typical, mounted for oscillation about a shaft or pin 8! in the case flange Blb and housing 15, respectively. Thebol't engaging portion 19a of the cam 19 extends radially from, the center\of oscillation about pin ill a greater distance than the bolt engaging portion 30a of. element 80, so that the two elements cooperate progressively or sequentially to urge thebolt in a closing direction. The bolt engaging'surfaces of the cams extend upwardly and outwardly from concentricity with the pin at, so as to exert, upon downward swinging, a camming action against the bolt tending to turn it into and aiongthe keeper l8. Upward swingingof the cams from dividual coil springs 82 suitable support lid. a

Retractive rotation of the bolt within the range ofits advancement by the cams is arrested by a step plate 85 also mounted for oscillation on pin 8! against the resistance of coil spring 86. Plate 7 85 carries an integral arm projecting through an arcuate slot 88 in the case flange 67b and engaging the bottom end of theslot to limit downward swinging of. the plate to the position appearing in Fig; 12. The cams have lugs ltb and Bill) to limit downward swinging movement of the cams. Plate 85 has a series of stepped dogging As previously indicated, the structure and op eration of the step plate are more fully dealt with in my copending application Ser. No. 497,594.

In closing the latch from a fully opened position, movement of the boltagainst thflnd 'liia of the keeper produces counter-clockwise rotation of the bolt and'displacement of the cams l9 and 80 as well as the stepplate 85, against the resistance of springs 82, BI-land 155 until the tripping point is reached. Thereafter the cams rotate the bolt in a latching direction with the bolt head engaged with the inclined keeper surface ltb, to the final or home position of Fig. 12. 7

The cam and-step plate releasing mechanism is shown to comprise an outside operated rollback having an arm 92 adapted to be operated by 7 lug 93a engaged by a spring 95 resisting upward swinging movement of the arm. The arm carries a projection 95 engageable with the step plate carried arm 87! to swing the cams and step plate upwardly and together to bolt releasing positions.

is mounted the roll back mechanism generally indicated at 68, and a flange 67b at the outside or which is mounted the reversible bolt Stand its .camming and holding mechanism TO. The bolt 69; shown typically as having three equl-angular heads H of symmetrical reverse curvature, is rotatable on its trunnion 12 supported by the case flange 61b and at I4 by the outside 1101151118 The cam and step plates may be released from the inside of the door by an arm ill pivoted on pin and having a projectipn 88 engageable with the arm 8i. Army Ql may be swung by a'link connection 9.9 to displace arm 81 and the cams and stepplate to released position. v

The arm 97 also is operable to releasably lock the latch mechanism against release of the bolt.

arm 91 is swung downward to bring a projection 98 integral therewith, in overlying engagement with a lug or projection 920 on arm 92, thus locking the latter against upward swinging movement. Arm 9! thereafter is returnable to the re-.

leased position shown, either by outward movement of link 99, or by virtue of engagement of the bolt with the end of the keeper as the bolt and keeper are brought together from disengaged positions and the bolt thereupon is rotated in an advancing or rotating direction to first displace the camming and holding elements upwardly, thereby bringing arm 8'! into engagement with lug I on arm 91 to swing the latter to the re-' leasing position.

I claim: 1. In a latch mechanism, a rotary bolt adapted to engage a keeper, cam means for-actuating the bolt, saidbolt comprising a plurality of radially extending, equi-angularly spaced heads having cam-engaging and keeper-engaging side surfaces, each head having at opposite sides of a radial line of the bolt, symmetrical surfaces the outer and intermediate portions of whichcurve respectively away from and toward said radial line so that the bolt is usable in the mechanism to the same effect in axially reversed positions.

2. In a latch mechanism, a case, a bolt carried ing position within the case in either of axially reversed positions, the opposite side surfaces of each head having symmetrical surfaces of reverse curvature so that the boltisoperable to the same effect in said axially reversed positions.

3. ma Iatchmechanism, a rotary bolt having cam-engaging and keeper-engaging ends formed ,ward movement of the inside operated link ll,

side of a radial line of the bolt a surface engageable with the end of said keeper to cause rotation of the bolt to a position at which an adjacent bolt head is brought into engagement with said inclined surface of the keeper, and cam means for actuating the bolt and displaceable by the bolt to a tripping position, the keeper-engaging surfaces of said bolt having outer and intermediate portions which curve respectively away from and toward said radial line to form a recess receiving a corner portion of the keeper and enabling said cam means to trip substantially when said adjacent bolt head engages said inclined surface, despite variations in the spacing of the keeper and the bolt axis.

6. In a latch mechanism for association with a keeper having an inclined surface, a rotary bolt comprising a plurality of radially extending, equi-angularly spaced heads, each head having at each side of a radialline of the bolt symmetrical surfaces one of which is engageable with the end of said keeper to cause rotation of the bolt to a position at which an adjacent bolt head is brought into engagement with said inclined surface of the keeper, and cam means for actuating the bolt and displaceable by the bolt to a tripby a plurality ofradially extending, equi-angularly spaced heads, the heads at the cam-engaging end of the bolt being offset from the heads at the keeper-engaging end of the bolt angular distances equal to one-half the angular distances between the keeper-engaging heads, and all side surfaces of all the heads having the same shape so'that the bolt is useable in the mechanism to the same effect in axially reversed positions.

4. Ina latch mechanism, a rotary bolt having cam-engaging and keeper-engaging ends formed by a plurality of radialy extendingpequi-angm larly spaced heads, the heads at the cam-engaging end of the bolt being offset from the heads at the keeper-engaging end of the bolt angular istances equal to one-half the angular distances between the keeper-engaging heads, and all side -a' keeper having an inclined surface, a case, a

bolt carried by said case and adapted to engage the keeper, said bolt comprising a plurality of radially extending, equi-angularly spaced heads constituting integral and unitary parts of the .bolt and the bolt being insertible as a unit in operating position within the case in either of axially reversed positions, each head having at each side of a radial line of the bolt symmetrical surfaces one of which is engageable with the end of said keeper to cause rotation of the bolt to a position at which an adjacent bolt head is brought .into engagement with said inclined surface of the keeper, and cam means for actuating the bolt and displaceable by the bolt to a tripping position, said symmetrical bolt head surfaces having outer and intermediate portions which curve respectively away from and toward said radial line to form recesses for receiving a corner portion of the keeper and enabling said cam means to trip substantially when said adjacent bolt head engages said inclined surface, de-

surfaces of all the heads having outer and intermediae reverse curvatures of the same shape so that the bolt is useable in the mechanism to the same effect in axially reversed positions.

5. In a latch mechanism for association with a keeper having an inclined surface, a rotary bolt comprising a plurality of radially extending, equiangularly spaced heads, each head having at one spite variations in the spacing of the keeper and the ,bolt axis.

8. In a latch mechanism, a rotary bolt having cam-engaging and keeper-engaging ends formed by a plurality of radially extending, equi-angularly spaced alined heads, all side surfaces of all .the heads having outer and intermediate reverse curvatures of the same shape,

WALDEMAR A. ENDTER. 

